"Happy New Years, Blair!" Nate said, briefly separating himself from Serena's arm to embrace Blair. "I can't believe Chuck actually let you take the penthouse instead of selling it to the highest bidder for the night.

Blair laughed, "I have my ways."

Serena raised her eyebrows and giggled, "I'm sure you do. Happy New Years, B!" She gave Blair a kiss on the cheek as they both walked in to the crowded suite. "The place looks amazing. Decorate it yourself?"

"Of course, S. I've had so much time to pick out all the decorations myself and hang the garland…" she laughed, before grabbing a glass of champagne from one of the waiter's she hired who were circling the room. Chuck provided the room but refused to give her a discount on the service. The money he was losing, he claimed, by giving his friend his best room in his best hotel was too much to give her anything else for free. Blair would have paid anything for the servers if it meant she didn't have to wake up to her own house trashed and then worrying about who, on New Years Day, was going to come and clean it for her as she nursed a hangover. "Chuck said he was even going to make an appearance," she said, poking her friend in the arm. "How sweet of him to dip into the lowly pool of friendship for the night, am I right?"

Nate smiled, "I think he just wants to keep up with your annual New Year's tradition. No one messes with Blair Waldorf traditions. I think we've all learned that the hard way."

Blair smirked at him, "You might just be right, Archibald. Now come in, get settled. There's champagne, obviously, wine, beer, vodka… anything you want. And if we don't have it, you are free to call room service. Just make sure you tell them it's on Bass," she laughed. "Oof, I see my editor. I need to go charm my way back in to her graces. I gave her an entire manuscript to edit before the holidays." Blair put her hands up and shrugged her shoulders, "Oops."

Blair started to walk away, overhearing the beginnings of the Archibalds conversation that they started as she left. "Blair looks different," Serena said to Nate, her voice was raised as she was trying to get Nate to hear her in the room that was buzzing with voices from every corner. "Happier?"

She smiled to herself as she walked away. She had a secret and she never kept secrets from Serena. At least not for as long as the week it had been since she woke up on Humphrey's couch. Nothing had happened, but still, Serena didn't know Blair was talking to Dan, let alone waking up on his couch and it made Blair just vibrate with joy. She loved secrets, even if she was generally awful at keeping them. It would be ruined tonight, anyways, as she had made Dan promise that he would at least stop by for a drink before he retired to his cave of books.

Blair glanced down at her watch, it was just 11. The party was just beginning and Dan had 59 minutes to get there before she would consider the promise broken. Blair took a deep breath and tapped on the lady in front of her shoulders, her editor. "Greta! I'm so glad you could make it," she said, her voice an octave higher than normal. She leaned in to give the slightly older woman kisses on both her cheeks. "You look absolutely fabulous. How were your holidays?"

Greta licked her thin lips before responding, "Oh, wonderful, Blair. I had one of the many people I edit for hand in her manuscript just minutes before deadlines and I've been rushing to get through it. My poor son asked me why Santa hadn't come on the 25th. I was so engrossed that I completely forgot the date."

Blair put her hand on Greta's arm and smiled as sweetly as she could manage, "That woman must be a real bitch to do that to you."

"Yes, but at least she can write," Greta replied, smiling and then winking at Blair. "It's fine, anyways. It was a good life lesson for my son. Life is full of disappointments, start learning how to deal."

Blair laughed, "Yes, well, I hope he at least got the present I sent him on time."

Greta nodded and Blair excused herself. It wasn't for tradition, and as Nate said you can't break a Blair Waldorf tradition, Blair thought she would have cancelled this party. She wasn't up for the fake schmoozing that it took when half of the room were people she worked with, a quarter of the room were acquaintances that she felt forced to invite and a quarter of the room were her actual friends. Maybe next year she would trim down the list to just the last quarter.

Blair scanned the room as she grabbed another flute of champagne. No sign of Dan… or Chuck for that matter. She clucked her tongue before settling on the window seat that looked over Central Park. This was the best view in New York that she could get her hands on and if she had to be stuffed in the room with people, at least she could see the city she loved.

"Blair," Chucks voice interrupted her thoughts and she wondered if she zoned out as she checked her watch and it now read 11:29.

Blair stood, sipping on the luke warm champagne and making a face. "Chuck, so nice of you to join us," she said, leaning in to him and kissing his cheek. "How does this rank on the scale of all the parties you have attended before this one? I hope you are here until at least the clock strikes midnight."

Chuck nodded, "This is my last party and obviously, that makes it the best." Chuck raised his hand and a server came over. He took a flute for himself and handed a fresh one to Blair. They clinked glasses and both of them then sat on the window seat. "You know I wouldn't miss this for anything."

She nodded, sipping her drink. "You know I would kill you if you did. It's tradition."

"Even though you hate the tradition."

"I never said that," she argued.

"Blair, I've been here for 20 minutes and for the last 10, I just watched you look out that damn window. You know, traditions are meant to be broken. You could always not throw this party next year and let me rent out the hotel to paying guests."

"Of course that's what it comes down to, money. It's always money with you, Chuck."

"Not always. But you aren't being your social scheming butterfly self."

Blair rested her head against his shoulder, "I don't know. I just don't feel like dealing with the bullshit people spew at me right now. Maybe in the new year."Blair felt his shoulders rise and fall with laughter. "My New Years Resolution… be a better host for the rest of the party."

"And mine is to drink as much as I can and get plastered."

"I could also go for that one," Blair said, taking the rest of the champagne down in one gulp. "Waiter," she called.

"Here, here!" Chuck said, laughing.

11:55

"I think we drank half of the champagne I bought in the last 20 minutes, Chuck," Blair said, bursting into a fit of giggles as she looked at the glasses surrounding them. The waiters had tried to take them when they came to give the pair of them new drinks but Blair and Chuck had wanted an accurate counting of how many flutes they could down before midnight. "One, two, three-"

"I don't think it's a good idea to count them after all," Chuck said, his eyes slightly glazed over. He glanced down at her watch, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's show time."

Blair nodded, "By golly," she said laughing, "I do declare you are right."

Chuck hit the flute with his finger as he could find no silverware in sight. The flute obviously made no sound so he climbed on top of the seat and cleared his throat. "Attention guests of Miss. Blair Waldorf. It is four minutes to midnight and I promise I'll be quick so you can make out with the closest available partner. If no one is closest, come find me. I'll help you out."

The room laugh and Blair rolled her eyes. In the corner of her eye, she saw the door to the suite open and a familiar mop of brown hair enter. Her heart started to pound. "Chuck, I don't think this is a good idea after all," she stage whispered, trying to get his attention. His attention, however, was solely focused on his audience now.

"I would like to, however, before I offer myself up, ask a question to our lovely host. Blair Waldorf," he said, climbing down and standing in front of her. He got to his knee and those who had not previously attended a Waldorf New Year's gasped. "Will you do the honor of being my wife?"

This was the part where Blair normally laughed and accepted and they kissed just as the clock struck midnight. It was tradition. However, as her eyes gazed the room and she saw the mop of brown hair leave as fast as it entered, she realized Chuck was right. Traditions could change. "No," she answered, quickly. "Although, please find a guest who will as that ring will go wasted if it's not placed on someones finger tonight." Blair stood and started to make her way through the crowd.

"Well, then," Chuck said, looking down at the RingPop in his hand. "Who wants it?"

Blair felt a hand on her arm and she swung around to see Serena.

"Did you see Dan?" they both asked and Serena looked taken aback.

"Did you invite Dan Humphrey, Blair?" she asked, her mouth slightly agape.

"Yes, and did you see him? Did he leave?"

"Yeah, he left right as Chuck was getting on his knee. I don't think he stayed longer than a minute."

"Fuck," Blair swore, tearing her arm from Serena's grasp. "Look, I'll explain later… I just… I need to go."

Blair slammed the key she was holding around her wrist into the elevator and pressed the button to go down. The doors miraculously (or not so much as she was the only guest using the elevator) opened and she hit the button to go to ground level. Blair felt her dress for some pocket that she might have put her phone in, knowing that there was in fact no pockets. "Oh fuck," she said, impatiently staring at the doors to open as the elevator shot down the shaft.

When the doors did open, Blair thanked the Lord that Dan's elevator had been slower as she could see him making his way to the hotel's doors.

"Dan!" she called, picking up her dress and walking as fast as she could through the crowded lobby. "Dan!" She was getting no response besides that of strangers looking at her as though she was a crazy drunk. Drunk, yes. Crazy… yes, that too. But not at the moment. "Humphrey!" she finally shouted and he turned.

Dan looked equal parts confused and pissed as he stopped in place and Blair finally caught up with him.

"Congratulations on your engagement, Blair," he practically spit the words out at her. "I'm very happy for you and Chuck. Excuse me if it doesn't exactly show on my face."

"It's fake, Dan," she pleaded. "It's just a thing we do. Every New Years. It's not… it's not real."

Dan glanced down at her hand as to confirm that she was telling the truth. She figured the fact that she just took and elevator down to come see him after supposedly getting proposed to should have been the answer.

"Its fake?" he said, his voice wavering on sounding like he believed her. He, at least, sounded hopeful.

"Yes, it's just this stupid tradition we found ourselves doing. The first time was real, a few years ago. But I said no. Ever since then, he's been doing it every New Year's and I say yes. Well, except for tonight where I once again rejected him. To come down here and tell you that it's fake. It's just stupid."

They were interrupted by the loud crowd in the lobby starting to countdown.

Ten… Nine… Eight…

"It's fake?" he asked again and she nodded in response. Her eyes begging his to believe her.

Four… Three… Two

Blair grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her.

One

As Blair closed her eyes and waited for him to kiss her, what she got was instead a kiss on the forehead. "Happy New Year's, Blair," Dan said softly into her ear and started to walk away from her,

"Humphrey, what was that?" she called after him, utterly confused at how this night was turning out. He stormed off like a jealous boyfriend and then kissed her on the forehead?

"I don't know," he said, walking backwards and throwing his hands up. "I guess we'll see in the Ne w Year."